JESD204 High Speed Converter-to-FPGA Interface: Introduction and Field Report

Our experts will first provide a general overview of the connectivity between FPGA and Analog-Digital or Digital-Analog Converters over serial interafces to then focus on the new JEDEC Standard "Serial Interface to Data Converters" JESD204B. NetModule has implemented a corresponding application with 8 devices of type AD9671 (Octal Ultrasound AFE With Digital Demodulator, JESD204B), which are connected to a Xilinx Artix XC7A100.

NetModule will further present the key elements of the JESD204 standard and give a comparison to the classical LVDS interface with parallel clock and framing signals.

Finally, we will share our experiences in regards to the GTP transceivers and the "LogiCORE IP JESD204" on the Xilinx Artix 7.

Code less. Create more: Our expert opinion on this Qt slogan.

If you look for an operating system that meets the requirements of a feature-rich UI, prioritized processing of peripheral events and performant system behavior, you have a lot of choices.

But if you expect an environment for cross platform development with powerfull C++ libraries, support for a variety of platforms combined with a flexible licensing model – you definitively need to look at the Qt framework.

We are going to present an example project based on Qt. You will learn more about:

NetModule Routers are not affected.

The Heartbleed Bug is a serious vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library. The NetModule Router software is using an openssl version which is not affected by the latest heartbleed bug.

for the NB1600, NB2700 and NB3700 NetModule Router families.

Join the two presentations of NetModule and visit out booth at the Embedded Computing Conference on July 1st in Winterthur

NetModule is participating at the Embedded Computing Conference in Winterthur on July 1st. Come and join our two speakers and visit our exhibition.

Rainer Fehr, NetModule Executive VP Engineering, is giving a presentation about the JESD204 High Speed Converter to FPGA Interface. Learn why fast serial links gain more and more importance and how to address the associated challenges.

David Andrey, NetModule Linux Expert, will show in his presentation how nowadays Linux developers can program for embedded targets just like they used to code for desktop.

Is VxWorks 7 the RTOS that empowers your product to enter the Internet of Things (IoT)?

As the former Swiss distributor of VxWorks and as a Linux specialist, we will discuss current VxWorks technologies and compare the development with a commercial RTOS and an Open Source operating system.

Embedded Software Trainer K. Nieratschker analyzed pro&cons of the programming languages C and C++ in order to allow an objective discussion.

C++ is only rarely used in Embedded Systems, the field is still dominated by the C language. Many C programmers express reservations against C++ and object oriented programming without having a profound C++ knowledge.

The goal of this evening talk is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using C++ for Embedded Systems based on solid arguments: Comparing the memory footprint and processing time requirements of C and C++ implementations. This will help us to appraise the applicability of C++ for Embedded Systems in an objective manner.

We are pleased to announce our collaboration with GainSpan.

Sign-up to the NetModule Newsletter

Sign-up using the box on the right of this page to receive the NetModule Newsletter. We will share the latest information on our Software Trainings, Evening Talks and partnetships and tell you about new trends and technologies we are investigating.

NetModule is proud to be a member of the SILICA ArchiTech Program

ArchiTech offers front line support to engineers to help them bring new designs to market on time and in the most efficient possible way. The aim is to bring together superior development tools, engineering and software expertise, in-depth training and extensive documentation. Learn more at http://architechboards.org/content/netmodule

New technical article

Read the new technical article of the NetModule about the challenges with fast and secure roaming for wireless applications on public transport. Published in September 2015 in the magazine "Der Nahverkehr"

Bern Formula Student

During the last year a group of students of the Bern University of Applied Sciences has developed and manufactured a full electric racing car. The goal is to compete against other groups and their vehicles from around the world in several races in Europe. NetModule supports this innovative project with great experience in mobile communication. A NetModule router transfers measurement data of the vehicle with use of the protocol MQTT.www.bernformulastudent.ch/

Unique service throughout Bayern

As the first city in Bayern (DE), Augsburg has equipped their busses with routers of NetModule and is now able to provide Wi-Fi for their passengers. More than half of the bus fleet is online and the service is available for free.

Success story REMTEC AG - Remote management

For 35 years the REMTEC AG has been planning, developing and implementing measurement and control systems, for example for water supply and road traffic. The company successfully uses the devices of the NB1600 product line of NetModule for their projects.

NetModule Routers are not affected

The recently discovered glibc flaw addresses a buffer overflow vulnerability in the getaddrinfo function which is used to resolve IP addresses. The NetModule Router software uses glibc version 2.3.3 on older models like the NB2500/NB2600 and uClibc version 0.9.31 on NB16xx/NB27xx/NB37xx models which are both NOT affected by this issue.

No Private Keys stored on the NetModule Routers The NetModule Router Software does not contain any hardcoded keys or certificates. The user must explicitly create the keys and certificates required for securing services (e.g. HTTP and SSH servers) or for implementing authentication and encryption (e.g. for VPN tunnels and WLAN clients) when configuring the NetModule Router. If even stronger cryptography is mandatory, NetModule suggests creating the keys on an external RNG (random number generator) device or managing all certificates completely on a remote certification server.

No Default Passwords or Credentials The NetModule Router Software does not apply any default password or default credentials. The user must explicitly set the password of the administrator at the first start-up of the NetModule Router and thereby automatically sets the root password to the same password. The WebManager then allows creating further users with respective credentials.

USB Autorun The USB Autorun feature is neither prone to brute-force attacks nor to attacks based on password dictionaries. It is started with a delay of at least 3 seconds after plugging in the USB stick. It cannot be run in parallel. Furthermore, physical access to the NetModule Router is required.

Flaw in RFC 5961 and SWEET32

Researchers have discovered a flaw in the Linux kernel’s TCP/IP networking subsystem implementation of the RFC 5961 challenge ACK rate limiting, that could allow an off-path attacker to inject payload into unsecured TCP connections. In NetModule Router Software Version 4.0.0.101, the kernel has been patched to make TCP challenge ACKs less predictable (see CVE-2016-5696).

SWEET32, a new attack on TLS and VPN connections affects older block cipher algorithms, such as Triple-DES or Blowfish, which are used to encrypt data between clients and servers. NetModule recommends to switch to AES or other stronger block ciphers.

There was a security issue with Deutsch Bahn ICE train passenger WiFi solution CSRF (Cross Site Request Forgery) attacks. This security hole allowed to gather user data and to log off the user remotely. Passenger WiFi solutions using NetModule routers with hotsplots portal solution are safeguarded against this kind of attacks.

Success Story SVG – Free WiFi in the Bus

Since September 2016, each of the 23 regular service busses including one e-bus of the German North Sea island Sylt is equipped with free WiFi. The public transport company of Sylt, the Sylter Verkehrsgesellschaft (SVG), implemented this project with the routers of the NetModule.

NetModule routers are not affected by cyber attack on Telekom

A security vulnerability which has been exploited recently by hackers has no impact on the routers of NetModule. The remote maintenance protocol TR-069 is not used within the NetModule software and the affected port 7574 is not open.

enabled by NetModule

About 180.000 users have used the WiFi portal of the S-Bahn Stuttgart BR423 trains during the past 12 months. The onboard routers now have been updated to host also a passenger information portal, which gives access to timetables and travel information as well as news and tourist guides.

You find us in hall 3 at booth 320. We look forward to your visit!

The NB800 NetModule Router, a high-performance industrial / IoT router specifically designed for the cost-sensitive market, celebrates its debut on the embedded world 2017. The device, available in the IP40 or IP65 housing, is designed for stationary use in indoor or outdoor environments. Its power consumption is below 5W at full load; Its mobile / Ethernet gateway allows any Internet applications to access remote terminals that can be connected through the powerful VPN protocols. Also new is the NB1600 NetModule router with ModBus-TCP connection, developed for use in industrial Ethernet networks, e.g. for measuring and controling applications or for communication with programmable controllers. Supported by the NetModule Connectivity Manager, the routers provide secure M2M communication to any cloud solution. A further highlight at NetModule is the presentation of a LoRa gateway for applications in the fields of telemetry, condition monitoring, object tracking and smart metering. The device scores with low power consumption and its ability to be used in point-to-point or point-to-multipoint applications that do not require any infrastructure.

We are developing the Internet of Things

LoRaWAN is a network specification for low power wireless data communication over long distances. The LoRa Alliance is a non-profit association with a mission to standardize Low Power Wide Area Networks to enable Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M). NetModule is now a member of the LoRa Alliance and is currently cooperating in further developing the LoRaWAN technology.

H27, Booth L40 (Joint booth Energie-Cluster.ch)

At the HMI, NetModule AG presents several new products: The NB800 EcoRouter is the first device of a new Industrial/IoT product family. This highly compact device is designed specifically for cost-sensitive connectivity applications in combination with big unit sizes. The focus is therefore on easy integration and remote configuration and management. The router is available in an IP40 or optionally in the IP65 housing and is designed for stationary use in indoor and outdoor applications. Features include a 3G/4G cellular/Ethernet gateway and a powerful VPN protocol suite. The NB800 is also available in customer specific OEM variants.

The NB1600 product line for harsh industrial environments now integrates a ModBus TCP port, which has been developed for use in industrial Ethernet networks.

For simple and secure management of the routers, NetModule offers the Connectivity Suite: a modular web-based platform with API, router management and private VPN server. The Connectivity Suite guarantees protection of investment by growing with the application: the suite is powerful enough for projects that extend to several hundred routers.

As a first result of NetModule's integration into the LoRa-Alliance and the associated cooperation with other members, NetModule presents the functional model of a LoRaWAN gateway. LoRa is characterized by extremely low current consumption and usability in point-to-point or point-to-multipoint applications, which do not require any infrastructure. Target applications are telemetry, condition monitoring, object tracing and smart metering as well as applications in which small amounts of data are transmitted by radio over long distances in energy-efficient manner.

The Südwestdeutsche Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (SWEG) has received the public transport innovation award of the state of Baden-Württemberg - in the category "customer benefit through digitization". Since September 2015, the passengers of the SWEG on the railway lines of the Ortenau-S-Bahn can enjoy free WiFi. In the meantime, WiFi is available in almost the entire fleet. This project has been realized with the devices of NetModule.

The award-winning project was praised, among other things, for its fast implementation, easy access and technical safety.

The European Commission points out that there will be still no restrictions on the purchase of electrical appliances as from summer 2017.

Several media had reported that due to the lack of standardization certain devices can no longer be sold on the EU market as of 13 June 2017. In fact, all products that are already on the market can still be sold. For new products for which the standardization organization of the telecommunications industry has not yet provided harmonized standards, manufacturers can fall back upon other safety tests to obtain the CE safety label.

In 2014, the EU adopted higher safety standards for radios, televisions, mobile telephones, satellite receivers or devices with WiFi and Bluetooth. As a result, manufacturers will be obliged to comply with new technical industrial standards, which are developed by the European Institute for Telecommunication Standards (ETSI). The ETSI is responsible for standardization in the field of telecommunications and cooperates closely with industry representatives. The EU Member States and the European Parliament had adopted the new directive in 2014. It has been in force since 13 June 2016 in all Member States with a transitional period until 12 June 2017. Therefore, ETSI already had time since 2014 to elaborate the new standards.

However, the ETSI has so far only worked out a part of the standards that apply to the new safety standards. These have already been published by the Commission in the Official Journal of the European Union. They are already binding for all manufacturers. For the missing standards: The Commission may, if the ETSI does not submit the standards within the time limit, continue to apply the old provisions, if they comply with the requirements of the new directive. In addition, manufacturers have the possibility to certify the safety and conformity of their devices by other ways and means.

By the way, consumers recognize standardized and certified devices by the label CE.

DC-HSPA+/UMTS/3G/GSM/2G Only Support

Effective 31st of August 2017, NetModule is discontinuing all DC-HSPA+/UMTS/3G/GSM/2G only based product variants of the NB1600-, NB2700- and NB3700 product lines. The decision was taken based on the fact, that many network operators around the world are planning to shut down their 2G and 3G networks in the upcoming years.

The affected products variants will be replaced by LTE/4G/DC-HSPA+/UMTS/3G/GSM/2G capable products which provide backward compatibility.

As part of NetModule's product discontinuation policy, this notice is being issued to assist our valued customers in system integration.

LTE Advanced Routers for the Entire Bus Fleet

NetModule has won a contract of Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN) to supply the passenger WiFi equipment for the entire fleet (ca 1000 buses) and received the corresponding order of around 1000 vehicle routers (NB2800 Series). The entire bus fleet is to be equipped with WiFi routers by middle of 2018. This project integrates leading-edge technology in the field of passenger WiFi and bus routers setting a new benchmark: Based on LTE Advanced with download rates of up to 300 Mbps (older LTE standards support 100 Mbps) it is therefore well prepared for the future. The NB2800 Vehicle Routers are equipped with two LTE Advanced modules and therefore able to provide an Internet connection with a theoretical maximum download rate of 600 Mbps (equivalent to DSL 600’000 or almost Gigabit Ethernet with 1’000 Mbps). In order to guarantee this performance via the LTE network of Telekom to the local WiFi-provider Wilhelm.tel GmbH, a software was implemented in cooperation with Travelping GmbH(*). Passengers thus can enjoy the currently fastest free WiFi throughout Germany. It’s based on the mobile radio network of T-Mobile. Starting in April 2016, a test operation including 100 routers was supported by NetModule and its devices. Thanks to its functional and robust design, the e1-certified NB2800 MediaVehicle router is excellently suited for use in buses and other road vehicles. With dual LTE and up to 867 Gbit/s fast WiFi IEEE 802.11ac on 2.4 and 5 GHz, the router combines latest technology and lays the foundation for fastest Internet access for passengers. With its built-in storage with up to 1 TByte, the device offers media server functionalities such as storing and providing documents, images, audio and video files regardless of the internet connectivity.

(*) Travelping GmbH is one of the technology leaders in the market for implementation and operation of telecommunication networks, especially in the field of public WiFi networks and M2M core networks.

NetModule Routers running in Access Point mode are not affected

On October 16, 2017 CERT/CC/ICASI released a public announcement about discovered vulnerabilities in WPA2 handshake protocols that affect most WiFi users and all vendors worldwide. It is important to note that the weaknesses are in the WiFi standard itself, and not in individual products or implementations. An attacker within range of victim can perform a man-in-the-middle attack to encrypted WiFi connections.

This is an attack to WiFi clients only and the bug-fix applies only to devices configured as client respectively. NetModule Routers running in Access Point mode an encrypted WiFi, e.g. as a Public WLAN, are not affected. Please find here the software updates with the following release versions:

This bugfix applies only to devices configured as client respectively. If you run an encrypted WiFi in Access Point mode all clients have to be patched to be invulnerable to this attack (CVE-2017-13077, CVE-2017-13078, CVE-2017-13079, CVE-2017-13080, CVE-2017-13081, CVE-2017-13082, CVE-2017-13084, CVE-2017-13086, CVE-2017-13087, CVE-2017-13088).

Visit us in hall 6 at booth 140E!

Among the trade fair highlights of NetModule is the NB800 router. The device is suited for all applications in the field of industry 4.0 where robust connectivity and reliability are a must. The focus is on easy integration and remote configuration/management. Features include a 3G / 4G Ethernet gateway and a powerful VPN protocol suite. The highly compact device is available in UMTS, LTE and LTE & WLAN versions as well as in custom OEM variants. Especially for OEM versions, new hardware shields offer additional flexibility. New are the shields with dual CAN, with serial interfaces and digital I/Os. GNSS and LoRa shields are under progress.

For easy and secure M2M communication between its industrial routers and any cloud solution, NetModule is developing the “Connectivity Suite”. In addition to the central inventory management (configuration and update of the devices), it also enables connection to higher-level management systems and provides the overall overview of which routers are online and which tasks they perform. Connectivity Suite ensures investment security by being powerful enough for projects that can extend to several hundred routers.

In times of IoT and Industry 4.0, secure and robust networks are a prerequisite for fast data exchange of applications. The increasing number of routers in the networks makes the management more and more complex. This is where NetModule comes in with its Connectivity Suite: this web-based and modular management platform allows administrators to securely integrate, configure and manage their routers. This makes it easy to create secure and simple networks and to quickly identify and solve problems. The Connectivity Suite is powerful enough for projects with hundreds of routers and can therefore grow with the application. As the central component, the dashboard offers an overview over the platform:

The health component continuously supervises the connection status of devices and networks.

Device list shows every device with its characteristics (type, firmware version, online status, etc.) and which subnetwork they belong to.

Configuration allows the preparation and management of device settings.

Deployment enables the distribution of configuration updates and the management of scheduled updates.

The platform includes a state-of-the-art REST API, which allows the integration of the Connectivity Suite into existing tools and the functionality can be extended or customized with additional components. The VPN connections between platform and the devices are established automatically, using proven technologies such as OpenVPN. The Connectivity Suite is installed by the customer as an application on a cloud server (E.g. Amazon) or in-house (on-premises) to ensure the confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of the data and information flows.

Custom routers with LTE, WLAN, Bluetooth and Bluetooth LE

For customers working in the industrial IoT market, NetModule provides customized routers using the NB800 OEM platform for best matching the target application. The derived products provide secure and reliable wireless connectivity in harsh environments. The NB800 OEM platform integrates a 600MHz CPU, 512MB RAM and 4GB flash and thus providing enough processing power for customer specific applications in addition to standard gateway and routing capabilities - that means considerable added value compared to standard router solutions. Using the NB800 OEM platform, customers can choose from a variety of wireless modules (LTE, UMTS, WiFi, Bluetooth, BLE) the combination that best suits their needs. In addition, there are several software platforms to choose from, as well as options for reshaping the printed circuit board and various hardware shields. Shields are currently available with dual CAN, with serial ports and digital I/Os. Custom shields can be produced with little effort.

The NB800 OEM platform brings several advantages:

Brand labeling

Rapid product launches within 3 months each for prototyping and OEM production.

Reliable from first day of operation thanks to a rigorous platform approach that prevents changes to critical parts of the system.

Use of proven technology - Thousands of NetModule devices are in daily use.

Cost efficiency thanks to customer-specific adaptation at production time.

Another highlight: The platform supports low-power modes and the system components can be turned on/off as needed.

Visit us in hall 3 at booth 320!

NetModule presents a remote management system for VPN based networks and its industrial router portfolio: The Connectivity Suite 2.0 offers now enhanced functionality. Thanks to centralized administration, the modular platform simplifies the installation and maintenance of a network and enables secure integration, configuration, and management of routers. Combined with the NB800 industrial IoT router, NetModule lays the foundation for large installations. The NB800 is designed for the volume market and is also available in OEM variants. It targets all applications of the industry 4.0, where robust connectivity and reliability are prerequisites. Features include a UMTS/LTE to Ethernet gateway and a powerful VPN protocol suite. Especially for OEM versions, NetModule has developed hardware shields that are currently available with dual CAN, serial ports and digital I/Os.

An addition to the router portfolio is the new NB1601 industrial router, the successor to the established NB1600. Best suited for stationary applications, it offers more power and greater flexibility in a future-proof design. Also new is the ruggedized NB1800 router as a premium version of the NB1600, designed for demanding security applications in the industrial/M2M market. Its features include a SFP port for fiber, up to 6x GB Ethernet and the ability to run custom applications directly on the router.

Discuss your requirements with our specialists at booth 3-320. Please contact us and we will organize an appointment. Register here with code B377186 for a free ticket.

Information about Meltdown & Spectre

You may have heard about the two CPU microarchitecture vulnerabilities that were discovered by Google’s Project Zero team and independently by other researchers: Meltdown and Spectre, which affect most modern computing devices. Both attacks involve speculative execution side-channels. The Meltdown vulnerability, CVE-2017-5754, can potentially allow hackers to bypass the hardware barrier between applications and kernel or host memory. The Spectre vulnerability has two variants: CVE-2017-5753 and CVE-2017-5715. These vulnerabilities break isolation between separate applications. Either of these vulnerabilities could potentially be exploited to steal sensitive data from your devices.

Is my NetModule router affected? For the newer generation of NetModule routers (NB800, NB2800, etc.), ARM based processors are used. These types are not affected by Meltdown. However, there are vulnerabilities with Spectre in some rare use cases. For the older generation of NetModule routers (NB1600, etc.), a NXP PowerPC processor is in use. Currently, NXP is investigating if this type of CPU is affected. We will inform you as soon as there is more information available but also here we assume that in case of a potential vulnerability it will affect only a limited number of rare use cases.

How can you protect your NetModule router? Since the application of NetModule routers is different to standard application computers or servers, the risk of an attack is minimal. This is especially the case since these vulnerabilities target that different user applications are running on one computer which is rarely the case on a NetModule router.

If you want to maximize the protection of your devices, please consider following guidelines

Do not allow any unauthorized person access to the NetModule router

Do not download any unauthorized software to the NetModule router

Only run authorized SDK scripts on the NetModule router

If you take care of these measures, you can minimize the impact, which these possible vulnerabilities and others might have on your NetModule router. We are following closely this important topic. Once there are security patches available, we will provide them to you as soon as possible.

You find us at booth H5. We look forward to your visit!

At the IT-Trans, NetModule presents new and well-tried routers for use in public transportation. They all integrate storage and support the latest cellular and WiFi technologies (such as LTE Advanced and WiFi IEEE 802.11ac).

The ruggedized NB1800 routers are designed for stationary systems such as ticket vending machines, public WiFI and digital signage at stops and sophisticated security applications such as access control. Custom applications can run directly on the device.

The powerful NB2800 routers with E1 certification are desiged for use at buses, where they enable data-intensive applications such as passenger WiFi, passenger infotainment or driver communication, condition monitoring, vehicle tracking and more. These devices offer numerous interfaces to the on-board electronics.

For the same applications but in lite rails or trams NetModule provides the NB3800 router series.

NetModule Insights

Subscribe to our mailing and get latest news about new products, software releases, etc.